


Super Mario and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Week

by rarmaster



Series: my mario fics have a continuity i swear [3]
Category: Paper Mario: The Origami King, Super Mario & Related Fandoms
Genre: Autistic Character, Canon-Typical Violence, Gratuitous Creative Liberties, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Nonverbal Character, Origami King gave me brainwashing and then didn't explore it. the COWARD, Retelling, Super Paper Mario Was A Fuck, also despite the ship tags this is pretty gen. they're just married it's not Romos Only lol, and also, anyway Mario Has PTSD, but this isn't an angst / pain train, er. selectively nonverbal?? it's Complicated okay, i'm too busy focusing on Mario's PTSD to focus on romance, in which i take the themes seriously like origami king refused to, mario has a weird relationship with being verbal, notched up one scale MAYBE, which really does mean the violence has been scaled approximately mario rpg level violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:56:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26386012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rarmaster/pseuds/rarmaster
Summary: On a list of things Mario never wanted to have to deal with again, seeing any of his loved onesbrainwashedwas basically top of the list.Or: a retelling ofPaper Mario: The Origami Kingthat leans into the idea that Mario is having a horrible time and stressed out of his mind about the Peach Literally Being Brainwashed, Again scenario because [gestures at previous Paper Mario entries]. Also has Mario and Bowser travel the whole plot together because I said so.((Alternatively titled:Oops! All OT3!!!))
Relationships: Koopa | Bowser/Mario, Koopa | Bowser/Mario/Peach-hime | Peach Toadstool
Series: my mario fics have a continuity i swear [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2172918
Comments: 16
Kudos: 74





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi welcome to my retelling of origami king which is just oops! all ot3!! With a side of MARIO HAS PTSD YOU COWARDS!!!!
> 
> Setting wise I am sticking to “all Mario characters are lowkey immortal and experience game releases As We Do” and also sticking to the idea that every game is canon (…except Paper Jam for reasons). I know that canonically by this point the Paper Mario games and Every Other Mario Game happen in different timelines, but I don’t care!
> 
> Second: this is a pseudo-sequel to [_Everything Changes_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15418611/chapters/35786442) in which it isn’t really a sequel, BUT those events are canon to this fic. You should read it!! but the short version is Mario and Peach and Bowser are married now and if you’re wondering how that makes sense, well, read _Everything Changes_ ((to my delight, Origami King fueled my shipping fires, which I didn’t even ASK it to do, but it sure gave me a game where Mario and Bowser were explicitly on the same side with no real animosity between them and I am LIVING))
> 
> Third: massive creative liberties have been taken with the paper setting, because while obviously I cannot scrap the origami bits, being central to the plot as they are, I could not in bring myself to write a fic with a sentient pair of scissors (etc) in it, so those are gone. but otherwise this is just... an abstracted version of the setting, if you will. 
> 
> Also did I say retelling? Haha yeah we abandon the plot once we meet back up with Luigi folks!

\- - -

_Wrong answer. Right answer. It matters not. Your replies… are paper thin…_

_Good…bye…_

\- - -

Mario opens his eyes. And then he groans, softly, ineloquently, as much from the pain of the fall as _how much he doesn’t want to think about what just happened._ He’s on his back on the floor of Peach’s basement—the trap door leading here is new, he thinks. Still her basement, though. _Without_ the water leak from the moat. Which means he’s not wet on top of being in pain. And if he thinks about all this in great detail he doesn’t have to think about…

“Mario?” asks a voice, cautious, and Mario thinks _oh thank Stars, a distraction._

The worried crowd of Bowser’s troops hovering above him isn’t exactly a surprise. Goomba, Koopa, Hammer Bro, even a Clubba. It’s the Clubba who called his name.

He thinks about sitting upright. He doesn’t. He raises his hand in some semblance of a wave so the crowd of Troopas knows he heard and isn’t, like, dead or something.

“You okay?” the Koopa asks.

Mario gives them a thumbs-up.

“You… seen Lord Bowser anywhere?” the Clubba asks. The Hammer Bro nudges him with an elbow, making the Clubba glare. “What! I know Mario got down here same way we did, but if anyone’s seen Lord Bowser, it’d be Mario, y’know?” He turns his attention back to Mario, and asks: “So, _have_ you seen him?”

Mario appreciates that he’s being asked a yes/no question instead of having to articulate himself more clearly right now. Being on friendly terms with all of Bowser’s kingdom thanks to being married to Bowser has several perks, this included. He shakes his head in answer, accompanying it with an easy “mm-mn,” to the cadence of _no I haven’t seen him._

Stars, he wishes he had, though.

“Have you… seen Peach…?” the Goomba asks, the tremble of her voice suggesting she already knows the answer, and is hoping Mario doesn’t need to be filled in on what exactly the state of his wife is, right now.

Which: Yeah. He knows.

By way of answering he just kind of lets his arm fall back down and resists the urge to pull his hat down over his eyes. Based on the awkward shuffling above him, it gets the point across.

“Alright, that’s enough letting him just lay here,” the Koopa says, suddenly. They reach out a hand towards Mario. “You want help up?”

Mario takes the hand and lets himself be pulled to his feet. He fixes the group of Troopas with a questioning _please explain what’s going on here_ kind of look.

The Troopas exchange glances. The Clubba nominates himself as designated person in charge of explaining. “Toad Town was already empty when we got here. We—we didn’t really see what happened. We just got shoved down here right away. That’s why we were wondering if you’d, uh, seen anyone.”

Mario shakes his head again. He knows about as much as they do.

“Should we… try and break out, maybe?” the Hammer Bro suggests, looking a little nervous. “I don’t know what we’ll do, but Mario’s here, and we- I mean, we can take orders from him, right? Basically the same as taking orders from Bowser now.”

The Clubba laughs. The Goomba stares up at him pleadingly. Mario shrugs and gives them a look that he hopes conveys _I’m okay with that so long as you’re okay with me not saying anything unless I have to._ None of them seem to mind, though. Mario’d file that under ‘perks of being married to the two most influential monarchs’, as well, except honestly his reputation preceded him even before the marriage. Mario. Red guy. Hero type. Hates talking. People got used to it, over the years. And it’s been a long, long number of years.

“Where should we start?” the Clubba asks, looking to Mario.

He doesn’t say anything, of course, but Koopa immediately suggests: “Find Bowser?” and at that, Mario points at them, nodding approvingly and enthusiastically. Peach, he doesn’t know what to do about. Peach, he doesn’t want to think about. But if Bowser’s down here in the basement-turned-dungeon with them, then that’s a great place to start.

He’ll have to tell Bowser later to let his Troopas know that they really need to give themselves more credit. They’re great at thinking for themselves. They really are.

“Alright,” the Koopa says, basking in Mario’s approval. “Let’s find Bowser—”

And then the door behind them opens. Mario leans around the Troopas to see who it is—he’s the only one facing the door, though the Troopas each turn around to look once it opens—and. Oh. Mario scowls at the sight. Troopas, but they’re all folded up like origami. Like P—

“If you want to see your king,” one of the Folded Shy Guys says, her voice wrong, too monotone, “Then follow me.”

The Troopas all look to Mario. Mario nods, determined. They were going to have to fight when they got to Bowser, anyway. Might as well let the bad guys do the work.

Nervous but determined, the Troopas follow after the leading Shy Guy. Before Mario can follow, another Shy Guy cuts him off.

“Not. You.”

Mario blinks rapidly, confused. The door is slammed in his face before he can even think of protesting.

“Yo, hey, you sure? That’s like, the King’s _husband_ ,” he can hear the Goomba say beyond the closed door, but. Clearly it’s not changing the Shy Guys’ minds.

Mario tries the doorknob. It’s locked.

Since when did Peach’s basement have doors that _locked_??

It’s… a good thing Mario knows alternate routes around the basement, he guesses! He studies the room he’s in a little closer and, oh, yep, sure is a stack of crates right there haphazardly shoved in front of the _totally open hallway._ He digs his hammer out of his inventory, because why would he leave home without it, seriously? That equipment slot is free.

Three smashed crates later, there’s a yelp.

“Aah!! Please don’t hurt me!!” squeaks what sounds like a child. Mario keeps his hammer hefted, just in case, because the girl is origami like every other enemy he’s seen all day, so. He raises his eyebrows at her, inviting her to keep talking. “My- my brother shoved me down here so that I wouldn’t get in his way!! Please—”

Mario lowers his hammer, though he still scowls. He’s wondering just how much he wants to ask her to explain when a shout saves him from having to make up his mind at all.

“Wait—HEY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”

Bowser’s voice.

He sounds… definitely upset! Mario doesn’t like that. Ignoring the origami girl, Mario starts following Bowser’s voice at a brisk jog. Upset is better than _in pain,_ so Bowser can’t really be in much danger, _unless_ they do to him what they did to Peach, and then…

Well.

Mario doesn’t want to think about that.

“Hey! You- you sure we wanna go _towards_ the big scary voice??” the origami girl asks, following after Mario by floating along behind him.

Mario doesn’t bother answering. He has too many things to juggle right now, he doesn’t want to add talking to that; besides, Bowser can pester the girl for answers way better than he can. And if he loses _another_ spouse today he will also lose _his entire cool._

“H- hey!” the origami girl keeps calling. “Mister- Mister, uh, what’s your name??”

“Mario.”

His name, at least, is easy to say. If she doesn’t know him, though, that means she’s not from around here.

“Wait- _you’re_ Mario!?!”

Oh, nevermind, she does know him. If Mario were not currently moving towards the sound of Bowser’s continued shouting ( _all still anger and blustering defiance; typical Bowser_ ) he might do the old point-aggressively-at-the-M-on-his-hat routine, but, well: Bowser.

“I’m Olivia!”

Good to know. But also, there’s a stream of light peaking through a hole in the wall—a missing stone? Convenient—and that’s the direction Bowser’s voice is coming from. So Mario signals Olivia to be quiet and peaks through the hole to see… Well! He doesn’t like that!! Bowser’s been folded up into a square. Sure! Okay! Mario guesses that’s better than the alternative, but Bowser’s not really in a position to do anything more than shout, especially given he appears to be dangling from the ceiling.

“What do you see?” Olivia asks, in a whisper much louder than useful. “Something terrifying?”

Just his husband in danger, so like, Mario’s about to go stupid.

He gives Olivia the universal _stay here_ sign, and then readies his hammer.

“Mario, wait!!” she calls after him. He ignores her, moving for the door. Bowser is still throwing insults and demanding that he be let down, etc., etc., so no real worries about being heard over that, Mario hopes. “You really shouldn’t be fighting the Folded Soldiers, they’re much more powerful than—”

Mario kicks the door open.

The only “Folded Soldier” remaining is the one they left to watch Bowser, which means Mario missed the party. Oh well. He can bring the party to the rest, later.

“Mario!!” Bowser shouts, delighted.

Mario slams his hammer into the Folded Soldier’s head. Oof, what was that, like 2 damage? It was supposed to be 4. Maybe Olivia was onto something. Well, whatever. All that means is this won’t be quick. Mario hops back, ducks under a blow, swings his hammer again. And again. For Bowser. For _Peach_ —

The Folded Soldier makes a tactical retreat out the open door.

That’s fair.

“Man I’m getting real sick of my Troopas getting brainwashed against me!!” Bowser shouts, which, again, is about all he can do right now. Mario slots his hammer back into his inventory. Yeah, him too.

“Anyway, Mario, hey,” Bowser calls. “Help me down, that way I can lend you a hand next round—”

Well, now that there aren’t any Folded Soldiers to worry about, sure. Mario makes his way over to where Bowser’s being held, by a… comically large clothespin dangling by a string from the ceiling? It’s effective, Mario guesses. He squints up at it.

“Just, uh, pull?” Bowser suggests. “That should probably do it.”

Mario doesn’t exactly see a better option. So, rather unceremoniously, he tugs his husband out of the clothespin’s grip. And, rather unceremoniously, Bowser just falls to the floor. Still folded.

“Uh,” Bowser says.

Mario squints, just as confused.

“You know,” Bowser says, “I thought I’d unfold once I was down. Huh.” He flops uselessly on the floor a few times, as if trying to work himself unfolded, but it doesn’t really… work. “Uh, Mario, you mind?”

Bowser really didn’t need to ask, which hopefully the raise of Mario’s eyebrows tells him.

Bad news, though: Mario literally doesn’t know how to unfold Bowser. Which. That doesn’t even make any sense? It shouldn’t be _hard._

“I can’t,” he tells Bowser.

“What do you mean you _can’t_?” Bowser demands. “It’s just—I mean I know this is some kind of reality folding nonsense going on here, but come on, it can’t be _that_ hard to just… find wherever the heck they creased my arms into, and…?” He trails off, and then hops out of Mario’s hands with surprising agility, considering he’s been reduced to a square of his face. With some positioning he gets himself so he’s facing Mario, which Mario appreciates. It’s… easier to talk, when it’s Bowser, but.

Anyway, Mario shrugs, eloquently, since Bowser is looking to see it. He’s completely and utterly lost. Bowser scowls.

“Um,” Olivia says, cautiously.

“And who the heck are _you_!” Bowser says, before she can get any more out. “You’re all origami like those other guys are, so—”

Mario holds up a hand to stop Bowser there. Bowser sends him a look—trusting, but cautious. As he should be.

“She with you?”

Mario nods, though with some hesitance, because he didn’t exactly have the time to figure out Olivia’s motives. Or, not outside of the fact being shoved in a crate to be kept out of the way _probably_ means she’s chill. Maybe.

“Can we… trust her?” Bowser asks.

Mario sends Bowser a look that should convey _I’m hoping you can ask her that._

Bowser huffs a sigh, then wobbles enough that he’s facing Olivia a little more. Before he can speak, Olivia gets out in a rush:

“I think that if my brother folded you with his magic, you’ll need magic to _unfold_ you, so that’s probably the problem.” Olivia takes a deep breath here. Then she looks carefully, eagerly, between Mario and Bowser. “I can… try? I know some magic like my brother, so…”

“I _would_ like my hot bod back, thanks,” Bowser says.

Mario snorts. It’s not _quite_ a laugh, but it’s definitely the best he’s felt in the past, oh, twenty minutes. Bowser sends him a smile like he’s delighted to have even just got that out of Mario.

“Okay!” Olivia says, brightly. “Here… I go!!”

Mario watches as magic swells around Bowser, strong enough to lift him off the ground. Olivia hums fiercely with her determination. The magic around Bowser grows. Reality seems to ripple… and then promptly give up.

Bowser falls. Mario reaches out to catch him.

“Ugh, thanks,” Bowser says.

“Uh-huh,” Mario answers, to the cadence of _no problem,_ with a side of _I would do that literally every time,_ which hopefully Bowser hears.

Olivia wilts. “Sorry…” she mumbles. “I’m not… really as good as that as my brother is.”

“You okay?” Mario asks, turning Bowser around in his hands so they can look at each other.

“Not enjoying being _just a face_ ,” Bowser answers. He scrunches up said face. “But it doesn’t hurt or anything, so I’m alright. Hey, you, kid.” Mario helpfully turns Bowser around so he can address Olivia. “Your punk brother’s behind all this? What gives!”

If Olivia was wilting before, she’s really wilting now. “I tried to talk him out of it, I swear,” she insists. “But he’s positive that revenge is his only option, and—and—” She sniffs. “He’s probably going to fold the entire Mushroom Kingdom into origami if we don’t stop him.” And then she perks up. “But!! I think if I can talk to him again—”

Bowser makes a noise like he doubts it’ll be that easy, which, Mario has to agree on, given their track record for things like this. It’d be nice, though, if. Just once. Just _once._ Things could be that easy.

“Fine, yeah, let’s go see if we can find him,” Bowser says. “If you can’t talk him outta this, I’ll just crush him. Er. I mean. _Mario_ will crush him?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Olivia doesn’t look exactly pleased, but, Mario’s past the point of caring, sorry Olivia. Maybe another time. When he doesn’t have to worry about _Peach,_ being _brainwashed,_ then he’ll try and care a little bit more about someone’s jerk brother.

“Anyway! Mario!” Bowser says. “You know your way around the castle, right? So you’ve gotta know where that punk is hiding.”

Well, if Olivia’s brother is like any other villain Mario has met throughout his adventures, then chances are he’s gloating in the throne room. Or waiting up on that one part of the castle walls that makes an incredibly good spot for a final boss battle. Mario’s definitely fought Bowser there, a few times. Either way, they need to head up.

Mario starts walking, still holding Bowser. He’s barely gotten far before Bowser wiggles in his hands, attempting to jump to the floor.

“Hey, hey, you can put me down!” Bowser insists. “I can walk! Or, I can- you know. You don’t have to carry me.”

Yes, he does. Mario’s not in a fantastic position to communicate that, but likely the way he holds Bowser to his chest can keeps moving probably gets the point across.

“Mario,” Bowser says.

Mario holds him a little tighter. If he weren’t highkey freaking out about Peach, he might take some kind of delight about the fact Bowser _is_ currently small enough for him to hold, but. Even putting Peach aside, it’s not that fun of a role-reversal when Bowser _is literally just a face._

“Come on, if we run into trouble—you can’t fight if you’re holding me, Mario!”

Just watch him. He’s done it with Luigi slung over his shoulder before. Holding Bowser in one hand shouldn’t be more difficult.

Mario slows long enough to glance over his shoulder to make sure Olivia’s following. She is.

Bowser grumbles a little more about being carried, but eventually he goes quiet. They get about a minute of silence, before:

“Hey, uh,” Bowser tries, nervously. He clears his throat somehow, despite having only a vague idea of a throat right now. “So… I got ambushed before we really even had the chance to arrive. That probably means—They have Peach locked up somewhere, huh?”

Stars, Mario wishes she was _just_ locked up.

“Have you seen her? Is she okay?”

Mario responds with a single-note high hum that he holds for several seconds longer than strictly necessary. He’s very distressed, though, and this is the closest he’s going to get to venting, right now.

“W- wait, she’s _not_ okay??” Bowser asks, confused, and Mario guesses that’s fair, considering all he really communicated is that he’s _extremely_ upset right now. Unfortunately the distressed hum is the only noise he’s capable of producing at the moment, so he just repeats it, though he doesn’t hold it quite as long. He’s very, very grateful Bowser loves him enough to be patient.

“Mario, hold on. I’m all for rushing in and doing some serious enemy-crushing, but I think we should—You should probably??—Mario can you turn me around so I can see you nod or shake your head when I ask _Is Peach okay?_ ”

“Um,” Olivia says.

“Not now,” Bowser snaps.

“It’s just, you mean Princess Peach, right?” Olivia continues, valiantly, which Mario appreciates. He sends a look over his shoulder that he hopes conveys _please keep going,_ but between his distress and the act of climbing the spiral staircase they just reached, it might not come across that well. “Last I saw, my brother… My brother turned her into one of his Folded Soldiers—”

“He _WHAT!?!_ ” Bowser shouts. “Oh that’s it, I’ll crush him for real!! Who does he think he is!? Mario, as soon as we find him, we’re gonna rough him up until he turns me and Peach both back, alright??”

“Mhm,” Mario agrees.

Finding him doesn’t turn out to be difficult.

Mario pushes open the door to let them out onto the ramparts. Olivia shouts “Olly!!” right away and rushes towards the kid who’s definitely her brother, but Mario’s attention is solely and completely reserved for _Peach,_ who stands right behind Olly. There is no expression on her face. She’s looking at him but it’s like she’s looking through him. Peach. _Peach. Peach!!_

“Oh, Stars,” Bowser swears.

“Why are you… still so… flat…?” Peach asks. “Why haven’t… you joined me… in folded… g… glory…?” Peach persists, but that’s not her voice, that’s not what her voice is supposed to sound like, it’s too slow, it’s too monotone, it’s totally _wrong._ If Mario were not holding Bowser he might have tried to cover his ears, not that it would have done him much good. He whines, short, bites his tongue to hold in the rest. “You…” Peach says. “You…”

“Peach, come on, don’t do this,” Bowser pleads.

“We can… reshape… you…” Peach says.

Mario bites his tongue harder.

“Pass,” Bowser says, sharp. “Seriously, Peach. This isn’t like you at all. There’s no way you’re enjoying being all—monotone, listening to that guy, all that jazz. And I’m not a fan of imagining me or Mario like that, either.”

“I don’t know, I think she looks better this way,” Olly says, eyeing Peach approvingly. “And you’d…” Olly begins, then squints. “Sorry, who are you? The hero I know, but—”

“What, have you been living under a rock for three years? I’m her _husband,_ you dweeb!”

“Bow… ser…” Peach says, seeming to struggle with it. Her expression doesn’t change, because she doesn’t have much of an expression _to_ change, but… “M… Mario… Please…”

Mario’s heart pounds double-time in his chest. Peach is still in there, she’s calling for help, he just has to _do something about it._ He bounces on his toes, restless. He shifts Bowser to his offhand, sliding his hammer out of his inventory again. It’s much harder to hold with one hand, and his swings are going to lack the strength they probably need, but Bowser doesn’t really have the means to cling to his shoulder or his hat so Mario has to do the clinging for him, because there’s no way he’s going to put Bowser _down._

“You’re right Mario, let’s teach this punk a lesson!” Bowser agrees. “Peach, hang on!”

“No, please,” Olivia interjects, throwing herself in Mario quite before he can move. “Please don’t fight—Olly, you can’t do this!”

Olly sneers at his sister. “If you plan on standing in my way, Olivia, then there’s no place for you in the world I’m going to create; a perfect, origami kingdom! Every Toad creased and folded, the entire world bent to my whim!!” He floats higher in the sky as he boasts.

Mario huffs. Slides his hammer back into his inventory. That’s fine, he can jump this. _While_ holding Bowser. Easy. And Peach—is still standing there. She hasn’t moved. She doesn’t look like she’s going to. Thank _Stars._ If she attacked, Mario doesn’t know what he’d…

“Yeah right!!” Bowser calls up to Olly, while Mario judges the exact trajectory of the jump, a little slower than normal because he’s very, very distracted by Peach. “The only thing _you’ll_ be doing, you little twerp, is putting me and Peach _back to normal!!_ Mario!”

“Yep.”

Mario jumps.

A giant streamer shoots in front of Mario’s path, and he slaps uselessly against it before falling to the ground.

“What the—!?” Bowser yelps.

Mario lands on his knees. _Ow._

“What’s that punk doing?!” Bowser demands, frantic.

Mario looks up. Not one but _five_ giant streamers are shooting from all ends of the Mushroom Kingdom, swirling around Peach’s castle as they tie it up. Mario yelps. Jumps over a yellow streamer, clutching Bowser tightly enough that Bowser _also_ yelps.

“Hey- hey Mario! Look, one of my Troopas has the Clown Car—Wave at them, Mario, so they can come pick us up! We can’t stay here, we’ll get tied up!!”

A little delayed, Mario just goes ahead and raises Bowser over his head, because that’s an even clearer signal.

“Good, they saw us!” Bowser says. “Alright, come on, they’re headed this way. Edge of the roof, Mario, we gotta jump—”

“Peach!” Mario calls, because they should take her with them. He can’t see her, though. She wasn’t where she was standing, before, and the streamers—

“ _Mario!_ ” Bowser says.

Mario listens. He runs to the edge of the roof, Bowser hugged to his chest, jumping over and ducking under the streamers as they wrap tighter and tighter around Peach’s castle.

He jumps into the Clown Car as the Shy Guy piloting it drives past. The Shy Guy babbles excitedly about he’s so happy he saw them and so happy he could help and yes he’ll keep driving Lord Bowser, Sir, if that’s alright—

Mario tunes it out, too stressed to really pay attention or attempt to be polite.

Olivia seems to have followed them. That’s fine.

“Cool, I think we made it,” Bowser says.

The Shy Guy slams them right into a red streamer.

The Clown Car topples.

Mario is dislodged from his seat. Bowser is dislodged from his grasp.

Mario plummets to the earth faster than the Shy Guy can right the Clown Car to catch him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi so i clearly don't have an update schedule in mind for this, but i do have the entirety of it plotted out, so i feel safe enough guaranteeing that i will finish this... _eventually_. really.
> 
> also remember how i said how we'd abandon the plot once we met up with Luigi? yeah i meant that

\- - -

A tree breaks Mario’s fall.

Fair enough.

It only takes some effort to extract himself from the tree and get himself down to the ground. At that point, Mario sits down right in the dirt, pulls his hat down over his eyes, hugs his knees to his chest, and stays like that for he doesn’t really know how long.

Let’s recap, shall we?

First: Toad Town empty, several of Bowser’s Troopas refolded into origami monsters, and _Peach_ —

Yeah, he’s not gonna think about Peach.

Second: some kid named Olly thinking he’s hot stuff and trying to… Mario honestly doesn’t remember. It’s the same old, same old, isn’t it? A villain causing trouble in his life. A villain that needs to be stopped. A villain who _hurt his wife_ —

Hoo boy.

Third and final: Peach’s castle stolen, deposited who knows where. Getting separated from Bowser and Olivia and literally everyone else. And now he has to do something about that.

He has no idea what to do about that.

Mario exhales very slowly. Fixes his hat so it’s not blocking the entire world out. He takes stock of where he is. That’s a good place to start, isn’t it? Looks like… the forest, not far out of Toad Town. That’s not so bad. He can head to Toad Town and… well, Toad Town is empty, and Peach’s castle is gone, but it sure would be a place to _start_ …? Ugh. Mario rubs tiredly at his face. He’s already had enough of this adventure, and it hasn’t even started.

Not really wanting to move, just yet, Mario reaches into the pocket of his overalls and pulls out his phone. This is just as good of a place to start.

Peach was his most recent call. He stares at her name longer than he wants to admit.

And then he calls Bowser.

How Bowser’s going to _answer,_ Mario isn’t sure, given Bowser’s whole folded-into-literally-just-a-face situation, but surely Bowser can get a Troopa to answer. Or Kamek. Or _Junior._ Mario watched the Shy Guy piloting the Clown Car catch Bowser, so Bowser has to be with his Troopas, somewhere. He has to be.

The phone rings.

And rings.

And rings.

Eventually it goes to voicemail.

Groaning, Mario hangs up before the prerecorded message can even finish. Sure, he _could_ leave a voicemail, but the thought of talking right now makes his stomach attempt to eject from his body, so, no. He swaps to text instead, shoots a message that way.

 _Let me know ur ok <3, _he texts to Bowser.

And then, just to cover all of his bases on that front, follows up with texting both Kamek and Junior similar questions about Bowser’s whereabouts, as well as their own. He’ll call one of them after he gets to Toad Town and checks things out, there. If Bowser’s with his Troopas, he’s fine. And if he’s not… well, Mario can worry about it when he has confirmation.

Especially considering all that texting reminded him that he hasn’t seen _Luigi_ since they split up before- before Peach—Well, they split up at Peach’s castle, and Mario hasn’t seen his brother since. So, since he’s pretty sure Bowser’s relatively okay, and he can do approximately nothing about the Peach situation, he should definitely, _definitely_ locate his brother.

Which means he should call—

Someone screams, from a little deeper in the forest.

Okay, scream is probably overselling it. It’s more like a generic cry for help.

Sounds like… Olivia.

Mario suppresses another groan and gets to his feet. Of course he’s going to help. He has to. He’s Mario. But _Stars,_ can he maybe, _just maybe,_ finish solving his personal crises first?

Still, he’s selfish and kind of freaking out because if Olly did to Luigi what he did to Peach—

—the less Mario thinks about Luigi, dressed in black and full of more anger than he had thought Luigi capable of holding, the better—

So.

 _U ok_ , he texts to Luigi, to be quick. He holds his phone in his hand as he jogs in the direction of Olivia’s yelling—Stars, does that girl have a pair of lungs—at least until he gets a text back. He gets a text back! He quite literally jumps for joy at the sound of Luigi’s personalized message chime, scans over the words idly before he realizes that Luigi might as well have sent a novel, and, okay, he’ll have to read that later.

But Luigi’s okay!! Feeling much better about that, Mario stashes his phone in his pocket again, does a triple-jump for joy this time, and then sets about finding Olivia and rescuing her from whatever mess she got herself into.

He finds her stuck head-first in some hole in the ground. You know what? Happens to everyone.

“Hold on,” Mario makes himself say, just because people don’t generally appreciate being manhandled without warning.

One pull and a yank later, Olivia’s free from the hole. She flutters through the air for a minute before righting herself and turning to Mario.

“Oh!!! Mister- Mister Mario!!” she says, bright and excited. “I’m so glad to see you, so much happened and when we got split up I was afraid I wouldn’t find any of you again, which honestly scared me to think about because I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do, I’ve never had to deal with something so serious before but if someone doesn’t stop Olly—”

Mario holds his hand up for Olivia to be quiet and because he is polite resists the urge to rub at his head, which is starting to ache. He fishes his phone out of his pocket again, taps on Luigi’s message—skimming it just enough to tell that Luigi, though freaked out about the castle disappearing, is fine and still in Toad Town—to pull up the texting app.

 _can i call,_ he texts, one handed and a little slow. _I need to talk to some1 bt I cant rn_

Luigi’s reply is almost immediate.

_Sure thing! I’m not really doing anything else right now lol. Besides, anything for you, bro. Just let me know if I need to say anything specific!_

Mario isn’t sure about that, but figures he should get introductions done real fast.

_Her name’s Olivia. She was in the castle w/me earlier. Her brother’s the one who_

He can’t finish that sentence.

He hits send.

He hits call.

Hopefully Luigi understands.

Luigi answers pretty much immediately, and once Mario’s phone is done processing the call he navigates back to the texting app so he can keep communicating with Luigi without having to talk. This is pretty standard fare for them.

“Hey bro,” comes Luigi’s voice, from the phone’s speaker. Mario can’t really help the sigh of relief he breathes at the sound of his brother’s voice, even though he _knew_ Luigi was okay. Luigi continues: “And also hi Olivia, I guess? Mario mentioned you were here…”

“Uhh… yeah!” Olivia answers, staring curiously at Mario’s phone. “I’m here. Who are you?”

“Oh, I’m Luigi! Mario’s lil’ bro. You mind explaining to me what’s going on? Where are you guys at?”

Olivia looks around, humming long and drawn out as she considers their surroundings. “We’re in some kind of forest?” she answers.

Mario, who was already typing, appends: _not far out from Toad Town._

“Oh!” Luigi says. “So you guys could probably meet up me if you wanted. I’m not far, just hanging around Peach’s castle… Er, where it was, I guess.”

 _We’ll come find you,_ Mario texts.

“Yeah, of course,” Luigi answers, laughing a little. “It’d be a little hard to meet each other in the middle of the forest. It’ll probably take me just as much time to walk to the edge of Toad Town as it will for you guys to get out of there, anyway. So we’ll just meet there, alright! And then Olivia can explain what’s going on in person, and we can talk about what we’re gonna do. Sound good?”

“Uh-huh,” Mario replies.

“Sure, I guess, mister,” Olivia says. She sounds incredibly unsure despite her words, but if she wants Mario’s help that badly, she’s just going to have to deal.

“Alright,” Luigi says, fondly, in the _I’m-going-to-end-the-call-soon_ kind of tone. “Olivia, you try not to give Mario a hard time, got it? Just stick with him, and listen to what he says, he knows what he’s doing and he knows where he’s going.” Olivia gently chided, Luigi shifts his attention to Mario. “You want me to stay on the line, bro? Got nothing better to do while I walk.”

 _It’s ok,_ Mario texts him.

“Okay!” Sometimes Luigi presses, but this time he takes Mario at his word. Maybe the fact they’ll be meeting up within the hour makes him a little less fussy. “Just let me know if you need anything else, alright? Toad Town still looks empty, so I think I’ll be okay.”

Oh. Remembering how creepy Toad Town had been, all barren and the festival half-destroyed, Mario gets the feeling that maybe this isn’t just about him.

 _U sure?_ he asks. _If u WANT to stay on the call_

“No, no, bro, I’m fine!” Luigi insists. “It’s not _that_ scary, and it’ll be hard for you to text and walk—”

Mario smiles despite himself. _Call if YOU need anything, ok?_

“Of course, of course. Love you bro. See you in a bit.”

And then Luigi hangs up.

Mario sends a red heart emoji at him (Luigi texts a green heart back) and then turns off his phone so he can put it back in his pocket. When he looks up, he notices Olivia’s watching him, swaying a little back and forth in the air as she floats. She looks like she has something on her mind. Mario raises his eyebrows in an expectant invitation for her to tell him about it.

“Um… Mister Mario…” she says, in the kind of tone that makes Mario one-hundred-percent certain what her next words are going to be.

He sighs. Gestures for her to get on with it.

“You don’t talk much, huh?” she asks.

He shakes his head. “Mm-mn,” he answers, to the cadence of _no, I sure don’t._ He’s not really surprised about the question. He gets it from kids a lot—old enough to know his reputation, but still young enough to be curious about this kind of thing and more than that: not be too embarrassed to ask.

Stars, she really is a kid.

Like, Mario _knew_ that, but the longer he spends with Olivia, the more apparent it becomes. Thinking about it, and the probable journey the two of them have ahead of them—not just to Toad Town, but well after that, as well—makes him tired just from the thought. He’s getting too old to deal with nosy kids for the length of entire adventures… but if _she’s_ the only one who knows anything about her brother, then…

Well, whatever, Luigi’s good with kids. And if he gets to travel with Luigi, it won’t be so bad, even if they have a kid tagging along.

“Umm… why don’t you?” Olivia asks, and Mario blinks at her, having almost forgotten they were still on this topic of him and not talking.

Mario hisses out a sigh between his teeth. He gives himself about… twenty seconds, to try and formulate an answer aloud, but his tongue just glues itself to the roof of his mouth and stubbornly stays there. So much for that. He sighs again and digs his phone back out, tapping his way to the note app just so he can type out a variation of his usual response for kids.

_It takes a lot of energy for me. And today’s been exhausting. I’m too tired right now._

It’s more than just that, really, but this’ll give Olivia an answer she’s hopefully satisfied with. Mario turns his phone around to show her, and she takes a second to read it. Slowly, she nods, which consists mostly of bobbing up and down in the air.

“Ohh, okay,” she says, like she’s getting it. That’s a relief. “I guess a lot has happened today, huh? And the day’s only barely started… Man, I’m tired too.” She makes a sad face. Or, Mario _thinks_ it’s a sad face. She’s drooping in the air, after all. Origami’s kind of hard to read, though.

Mario huffs and deletes his message to type another.

_You can nap when we meet up with Luigi, if you want. Let’s go._

He shows it to her, lets her read it, and then shoves his phone back in his pocket and nods his head for her to follow him. The more time they stand around talking, the longer it’s going to be before he gets to see his brother. And they’ve got a decent amount of forest to cover. They better get moving.

It doesn’t take too long, at least. And though Olivia talks nearly constantly, she doesn’t really seem to expect an answer from Mario. So that’s okay.

Mario’s still relieved when they reach Toad Town, though. Luigi’s standing right next to the sign at the entrance, rocking back and forth on his feet with idle energy as he hums to himself—he stops when he sees Mario, breaks out into a grin.

“Hey, bro—whoa!” He’s interrupted when Mario runs over and hugs him, tight. Luigi laughs and spins Mario around once, then puts him down, thumping his back a few times. “Good to see you too, bro. I’m alright, really.”

Mario should probably take that as his cue to let go of his brother, but let him have this, alright? Just ten more seconds. Maybe twenty. Luigi’s here and he’s still himself and—

Mario hums, tight, and then lets go. He sends a rueful look at Olivia that only Luigi can see, and Luigi laughs quiet and empty, patting him on the shoulders like _I know, bro, I know._

So, since Mario isn’t going to sit here and stress vent to Luigi about his problems, he stands and tunes out while Olivia explains everything to Luigi, instead. Rocks back and forth from the toes to the heels of his feet. Fixes his gloves a few times.

Luigi taps Mario on the arm for his attention. “So,” Luigi says. “Looks like to start, we’ll have to find the source of those streamers and undo them. Free Peach’s castle, and all that jazz. Unless you want to storm up there now and get this over with—”

Mario shakes his head, rapidly.

Luigi laughs, fond. “Wasn’t sure, bro,” he says. “So we’ll—huh? Hey, look.”

He points, and Mario looks. Up in the sky, where Bowser’s fortress was floating—oh. _Oh._

Said fortress plummets quite rapidly out of the sky and to—well, not all the way out of the sky, but close to it. Looks like there’s some floating islands up around there, too. Still. Oof.

“Tell you what, bro,” Luigi says. “Why don’t we split up?”

Mario drags his eyes away from his husband’s crashed fortress to stare at his brother, alarmed.

“Me and Olivia will go deal with the… I dunno, red streamer?” Luigi shrugs. “And you can go check on Bowser. The green streamer thing looks like it goes that way, so you can knock out two birds with one stone!”

“But—” Mario says, strangled.

“I don’t want to slow you down, bro!” Luigi persists, his smile bright. “And you’ve already got enough things to worry about.”

“ _You_ ,” Mario says, to which Luigi responds by pulling his phone out of his pocket and wiggling it for Mario to see.

“I’ll send you updates, so you know I’m okay, okay?” he says. “And if I need help, I’ll let you know right away. But, come on.” He pauses here to adjust his overalls, puffing his chest out. “You think I can’t handle a little adventure by myself?”

Mario smiles, fond despite himself. He huffs, still worried—about Bowser, about Luigi, about _Peach_. But.

“Besides…” Luigi adds, and sends a look at Olivia. Then he taps on his phone. Getting a feel for where this is probably going, Mario pulls his own phone out and opens it in anticipation.

The message comes in after a few more seconds of Luigi tapping.

_Bro I love you but I do not think you look like you’re in the kind of mindset for babysitting right now. Especially given Peach._

Mario sighs.

 _Yea,_ he texts back, because Luigi’s not wrong.

Luigi sends a sad face and a green heart, then looks up from his phone to actually look at his brother. He tilts his head to the side, his smile sad, brow furrowed in concern.

“I’ll update you later—when we finish this streamer or tonight, whichever comes first.” Luigi slides his phone back in his pocket and waves, moving back towards Olivia. “Go get your hubby—”

Mario makes a noise of disgust and sends Luigi a look that makes it clear how he feels about that petname for Bowser ( _from Luigi’s mouth, not great!_ ), and Luigi laughs. It succeeds in making Mario a little less anxious, though.

“Also, you know Bowser,” Luigi adds. “He probably did something like bump the controls and accidentally turn it off.”

Mario shrugs like _yeah, that’s true,_ because it is.

“Anyway, I’ll stop keeping you. Go go go!”

“Uh, bye Mister Mario,” Olivia calls. Mario feels intensely relieved that she’s not deciding to protest.

He salutes, and begins his beeline to Bowser’s fortress.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, sorry, didn't mean to vanish for uhhhhhhh three months? I got wrapped up finishing a 100k beast of a fic that I started last february, and then things got weird for a bit, but anyway! I didn't forget this fic! I promised I wouldn't and I intend to keep that promise! besides, we're half of the way there, aren't we?
> 
> for now, time for the: 1) I wasn't going to be more of a coward than canon was 2) [slaps the sign reading I TOOK CREATIVE LIBERTIES once again] section

_~PARADISE FOUND~  
Shangri-Spa! _

**_—_** the signage announces cheerfully as Mario approaches. He won't lie, the locale is beautiful. It's a chain of floating islands in the sky connected by bridges and dotted with scenic mountains and waterfalls on top of several pools of hot springs, of _course_ it's beautiful.

Er, minus the wreckage, anyway.

Like, he's seen worse. But uh. Oof.

Bowser's fortress itself is further up the mountain path and a floating island away, having crashed fully and completely into a building, crushing it and bottoming out the fortress so that only the decal of Bowser’s face and the topmost spires remain. The springs otherwise are littered with rubble—bricks and dust covering the grass, and another spire having fallen wholesale on a separate building. Several Troopas are scattered all around, furiously cleaning up, overseen by Toads in the spa’s uniform. Mario approaches the nearest Goomba.

“Oh! Hey, Mario!” the Goomba says, spotting him. Mario makes a meaningful face and a deliberate glance around the area, hoping to convey _what the heck is going on here_ , and the Goomba laughs. “Right? Look at this mess! Guess the Troopas are a couple million coins in debt, now, so we're out here cleaning to try and settle it. At least, that's what I heard.”

Convenient that the first Goomba he asked knew all that. Then again, Mario supposes, whoever set them up to cleaning was probably pretty clear about the _why._ Mario thinks about asking how much, exactly, “several million coins” means, but settling the Troopas' debt can definitely wait until he's seen Bowser. And, you know, dealt with Olivia’s brother.

Besides. _Someone_ has to clean up this place. Mario sees no reason not to leave the Troopas to it.

Which brings him to his next point.

“Where’s Bowser?” he asks. The Goomba startles like he's surprised to hear Mario talk—believe him, Goomba, if Mario could avoid talking, he would. But the sooner he has an answer to this question the better he'll feel. 

The Goomba gets over his surprise quick, at least. “Uh. Good question. I don’t know, actually. Which is a surprise, seeing as usually His Royal Tantrum would have been out here screaming about the crash, and the debt, and—Er.” The Goomba hesitates, probably processing what he just called Bowser. “I mean, no offense, calling your husband—”

Mario smiles genuinely and shakes his head, flapping the Goomba's concern away with a hand. The Troopas’ variations on Bowser's royal title always make Mario's day, and, for the moment, if he doesn't think about Peach, this almost feels normal.

The Goomba’s concern regarding the distinct lack of Bowser whining about this mess is an extremely valid concern, though. Stars help him, if something has _happened_ to his _husband_ …

Mario exhales, huffy, projecting how much he doesn't like this so the Goomba understands it.

Said Goomba gives him a sympathetic look. “Wish I could help. I’d tell you to check the castle, but folks have been having trouble getting in there—the rubble, I guess? I didn't ask.”

Mario huffs again, scowling. That’s not great news. Rubble is the only thing that might actually be a real obstacle to him, which is the hilarious ( _frustrating_ ) thing. He's not above finding a way in through a window, or something, but…

“I also saw Kamek over that way, giving orders and such," the Goomba says, looking meaningful up the path a ways, across a bridge and towards one of the still-intact buildings. “He might have a better idea on what's going on with the King than I do. I'm just cleaning like I was told.”

Okay, yeah, sure. In absence of Bowser, Kamek is the next best thing—well, for this, anyway. Mario nods, smiles in a way that must convey his gratefulness well enough seeing as the Goomba replies with a bright “no problem!”, and then heads in the direction the Goomba indicated.

Mario finds Kamek diligently pushing around the rubble with his broom, which is working better than one might assume it would at first glance. Magic, probably? Mario straight up doesn’t care. Not about the broom, anyway. The rest of this makes Mario level Kamek with the loudest look of confusion he can muster when Kamek looks up to see him.

“Ah,” Kamek says, and then, “Mario,” Kamek says. “Have you—did someone already tell you about what happened here? About the crash, and the debt—” Mario is nodding, and just keeps nodding, until Kamek stops talking. “Oh, good. Wouldn’t want to bore you with the same explanation twice.”

It’s easier to speak around Kamek than it is around strangers, but considering Peach, and the fact he _still_ doesn’t know where Bowser is, Mario’s stress is high enough it’s clogging his throat. So, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and waggles it meaningfully at Kamek.

“Oh! Yes, I did see your text,” Kamek says, and he stops sweeping the rubble. “I didn’t have time to respond given… everything. I won’t name names, but _someone_ accidentally cut our engines instead of activating our defenses—I have no idea why we keep those buttons right next to each other—”

Mario marks himself marginally relieved that Koopa—who is he kidding, Kamek absolutely was the cause of this— _Magikoopa-_ error is what dropped Bowser’s fortress out of the sky, and not something significantly worse, such as Olivia’s brother, or the origami army. Still, that doesn’t answer his question. He levels Kamek with a look that he hopes expresses both that and _please tell me where my husband is before I lose it._

“Right, you’re probably wondering where Bowser is,” Kamek says, and _thank Stars,_ Mario thinks. “He’s in the castle, still, but there’s… well, it’ll be easier if I show you.”

Kamek starts walking. Mario follows.

Mario is preparing himself for a pile of rubble that, hopefully, a bunch of Troopas are working on clearing.

Mario is extremely not prepared for the origami Sumo Bro riding a floating thunderhead of a cloud that’s shooting lightning delightedly at the ground and anything else that approaches.

Little early in the adventure for a boss fight, he thinks, but this at least is a problem he _can_ solve. In fact, so could Kamek, probably. Mario turns to Kamek with a look that says _and you haven’t done something about this because…?_

Kamek rolls his eyes. “Don’t give me that look, Mario! I’m well into retirement, thank you, and the only thing I’m good for is menial paperwork and giving orders. I could probably back you up if we want to fight it but—”

“ _PAPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA,_ ” comes a drawn-out shout that completely drowns Kamek’s voice. Mario looks up, delighted to see Bowser Jr. flying recklessly towards them in his clown car.

And then: a clap of thunder. A flash of lightning.

The thunderhead lashes out hits Junior, sending him toppling.

“ _Junior_!” Mario shouts. He jumps, catches Junior midair, vaguely registers Junior’s clown car’s auto-steering kicking in enough to right itself and float idly in place. And then he lands back on the ground, buckling to his knees from Junior’s extra weight.

He doesn’t realize how tightly he’s hugging Junior— _limp still breathing but sure as anything not MOVING_ —to his chest until Kamek starts trying to pry Junior out of his arms.

“Mario, _Mario,_ ” Kamek says, firmly. “Let me _see_ him, I can’t tell how bad he is if you don’t let me _see_ —”

Numbly Mario loosens his hold. He’s not a tall man, but neither is Junior a tall Koopa (yet), so it’s not hard at all to position the boy so that Kamek can get a better look without really letting go of him. Mario looks to assess the damage himself, immediately wishes he hadn’t. It’s—it’s not that bad, but Junior’s definitely been KO’d and this is _absolutely not_ what Mario needed right now. He bites his tongue and doesn’t scream. It’s fine. It’s fine. There’s. He has to have a Life Shroom in his pocket, he normally keeps those on hand, doesn’t he…?

He’s got as far as moving one hand towards his pocket to check when Kamek interrupts him: “Mario, there’s a hot spring _right_ there, and if it works as advertised, there will be nothing to worry about. And if it _doesn’t_ work, then I’m going to have to have a stern talk with the Toad in charge about our debt, because I will _not_ owe several million coins to a fraudulent attraction!” Kamek straightens, using his broom to lean against. “Can you carry him, or do you need me to—”

Mario responds by getting to his feet and hoisting Junior over one shoulder. It’s… easier than carrying Luigi, actually— _no,_ Mario, not the time to think about Luigi! But the fact is, regardless, that this is not the first time Mario has had a family member or friend all-but lifeless in his arms. Is he used to it? Yes. Is he mad that he's used to it? Also yes. Is he tired of it? _Extremely_ yes.

It’s… not fine, but it’s fine. He follows Kamek back down the way they came, humming tight and loud against his teeth as he goes. Junior mumbles something into Mario’s shoulder. Had Mario the thoughts for words he’d say something to Junior to reassure him it was going to be alright, but unfortunately words have never been Mario’s strong suit.

His feet hit the last bridge between them and the building Kamek is making a beeline for. Just a little longer, Junior. Just a little more.

“Here, here,” Kamek instructs, waving Mario into the building though he extremely doesn’t have to. It’s fine, they’re all stressed right now! “Just put him in the—” Mario has already dumped himself and Junior into the hot spring’s water. “Yes, there you—”

And at that point Kamek’s words get muffled by the water because this hot spring is just deep enough that unless Mario’s standing, his face is submerged. Maybe if he’d sat on the step around the edge—whatever, it doesn’t matter. He can feel the hot spring working its magic on himself, bruises and fatigue sapping away, so… He just has to wait for it to work on Junior. Come on, _come on._

Junior kicks, splashes. Mario stops holding them both under the water.

Standing, it comes up about to his shoulders. Which means he has to hold Junior to boost him up, seeing as Junior’s a whole head shorter than him.

“Haha, _ow,_ ” Junior moans, with a little laugh. Something that had stopped in Mario’s chest starts again. “Talk about a lucky shot… Man.” Blinking bleary eyes, he looks at Mario. “Hey, Mario… What’s…?”

Words get lodged in Mario’s mouth where they aren’t about to make their way out, but that’s not really anything new.

“Well, seems like the Shangri-Spa’s hot springs are working as advertised,” Kamek says, from the edge of the hot springs. He probably doesn’t want to get his cloak wet if he doesn’t have to. Mario can’t blame him. “How are you feeling, Junior? All right?”

“I think so, yeah,” Junior answers. “Geeze, Mario, are _you_ okay? I didn’t scare you that bad, did I?”

Mario grimaces and holds his free hand up in the universal _just a little_ sign.

“I didn’t mean to!!” Junior protests, immediately. “It’s not _my_ fault that guy shot me right out of the sky—!”

It’s not! It’s really not!! …is what Mario _wants_ to say, but his mouth stays clamped shut, and if he tries to make noise it’s not going to be a pretty one, so! That’s fine! He just hugs Junior instead, as tight as he can, and hopes that conveys… literally anything.

Junior wraps his arms around Mario’s neck and hugs him back. Good enough.

“I’m okay, Mario, really. I’m okay.”

Mario holds Junior for another minute until his heartrate calms down, but that’s as long as he can afford. Junior’s fine, now, and Bowser’s… Well, he doesn’t want to leave Bowser any longer than he has to, not when he knows what Olly is capable of, what Olly has _already done_ to Peach. He pats Junior twice in signal that the hug’s over, then reconsiders long enough to shuffle through the water so when he sets Junior down it’s not in the middle of the pool. Like, Junior _can_ swim, but it’s two steps.

“Hey, Mario…” Junior says, as they both straighten themselves out. “You sure you're okay?”

Mario nods. He nods and he bites his tongue, still certain that if he makes a sound it’s not going to be pretty.

Junior, perceptive as he is, isn’t convinced. “Are you _positive_?”

Mario nods again. “Mm-hm,” he says, and it comes out a little higher pitched than normal, which makes Junior squint even more at him, but. Well.

“You wanna… hang on, you can text me about it,” Junior says, reaching into his inventory for his phone. It’s a good thing E. Gadd designed fully waterproof phones and started mass producing them for the entirety of the world.

Mario groans, frustrated, the sound coming more strangled out of his throat, but he complies. Junior’s not going to stop worrying until he has an answer, and it’s not like Mario’s going to be able to get his voice working _now._

So: _u scared me. also worried about Bowser. we need to get to him asap,_ he texts to Junior.

Junior squints at the text, but Mario watches the crease of his brow even out as he deems that a reasonable excuse for Mario’s current state of distress. Which is extremely good, because the absolute last thing Mario wants to do is tell _Junior_ about Peach! Better to let Junior assume she’s in regular kidnapped danger and not—

And not—

“Yeah, actually, hey, what _is_ even going on, anyway?” Junior asks. Mario breathes a sigh of relief. Junior stashes his phone back into his inventory and then unties his bandana from around his neck, promptly starting to wring water out of it. “Like, the castle crashed, what’s up with that? And where’s Papa?”

Mario honestly hadn’t processed he was still soaking wet, but yeah, actually. Maybe he should do something about that. He puts his own phone away and starts drying his own clothes out with careful applications of fire magic as Kamek answers the question.

“Well it doesn’t matter how the castle crashed, exactly,” Kamek deflects, rapidly, and before Junior can question him presses on with: “What matters is that it has been overrun by origami soldiers, and your father is still in there.”

“Okay. I mean, Papa can take care of himself, right?” Junior asks. And then, “Mario?” he says, holding his still-damp bandana up.

Mario smiles despite himself and takes it. Fire breath doesn’t have the kind of control Mario does, so Junior’s more likely to set the bandana on fire rather than drying it if he tried himself. And like, it’s _Junior._ Of course he’s going to help.

As Mario dries Junior’s bandana out, he looks to Kamek, then to Junior, then back to Kamek, hoping _someone_ realizes he’s wondering just how out of the loop Junior is.

“Last I saw your father, he was folded up into a square about yea big,” Kamek says, pantomiming the size with his hands. “I don’t think he’s going to do any punching bad guys like that. Though… I suppose he _could_ breathe fire on them.” And, blessedly, he predicts Mario’s next question. “Whatever magic was keeping Bowser like that is not any kind I know, unfortunately. If I could have helped him, I would have, believe me.”

Mario sighs, but he figured. He shrugs to convey that to Kamek, then beckons Junior over so he can tie the now-dry bandana for him. Junior could have done that himself, sure, but Mario wanted to help.

“So we gotta go save Papa, right?” Junior says, once his bandana is in place.

Mario nods in affirmation. Kamek voices agreement.

Junior laughs and pumps the air with his fist. “Well okay! What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is this the scene I littereally decided to write an entire fic just to reach? sure is, babey!

It turns out Mario, Junior, and Kamek combined make a pretty good team. With a proper plan of attack, the Sumo Bro isn’t a problem. Neither are any of the Origami Soldiers scattered about Bowser’s castle, really. Mario works through them all on autopilot, his thoughts decidedly elsewhere. Kamek babbles worriedly and nervously, both about the state of the castle, the safety of Bowser, and about Mario himself—which Mario, like, appreciates, but… He’s also glad for all the times Junior tells Kamek to shush. Junior may not know _what_ is wrong, and Mario may not be keen to tell him ( _hey your dad might be brainwashed_ is usually a bridge you cross _if_ you get there, and only if!), but Junior knows how to read Mario well enough to keep the most of Kamek’s well-intentioned fussing directed elsewhere. He does what he can to catch Junior’s eye at least once and convey _thanks for this_ without any words. Hopefully Junior gets it.

And then they find Bowser, and all of the stress bleeds out of Mario.

Bowser’s okay.

Oh, sure, he’s still folded up into a square consisting of his face and nothing more, and it takes a bit of teamwork to get him down from the clothespin he was hung from, again. But he’s _okay._ He hasn’t been folded into- into something else— He’s _himself._

Maybe Mario collapses to the floor in relief! Who can blame him! It’s been a long day. He lays there for a few seconds, listening to Bowser and Junior exchange words of reunion and excitement and gentle jabs about Bowser’s current height. It’s comforting, in a way. Feels like home. Except…

A pang of guilt settles in his chest. How can he get comfortable, how can he _relax_ , when Peach…

(monotone, not herself, under someone else’s control—)

He pushes himself upright again, only gets as far as sitting before his head spins with just how fast he tried to move. Whoops. He groans and rubs his head.

“Mario, you good?” Bowser asks, hobbling a bit so he can turn to face Mario.

“’m fine,” Mario answers.

Bowser isn’t convinced. If he had a body, his hands would be on his hips. “ _Mario._ ”

“ _Peach_ ,” is how Mario answers, one word, one name, but it should be enough. Bowser scowls. After some consideration, Bowser hops over and lands in Mario’s lap. Mario huffs and just picks Bowser up, moving to get to his feet—

“No, no, stay put,” Bowser insists. “Man, I hate that I don’t _weigh_ anything like this. I _will_ make Junior sit on you if you try and get up!”

“Uhhh actually Papa I have to… go to the bathroom?” Junior says, already making for the nearest door.

“Kamek?”

“You know what I think I, uh, left the oven on, yes!” Kamek says. “I should really go- go double check. We wouldn’t want—you know. If you’ll excuse me, Your, uh, Kingliness.” And he too leaves.

“Unbelievable,” Bowser says. Mario is in no state of mind to laugh, but he does let out a huff that’s close. “Anyway, Mario, can you— Have you stopped moving at all in the past… how long has it been? Hours? Day?”

Mario purses his lips together and groans from the back of his throat, but he can’t… he can’t deny it. Bowser knows him too well.

“ _Mario,_ come on—"

“Peach is in danger,” Mario interjects, but he doesn’t make to stand, just holds Bowser in his hands. “It—we need to— _I_ need to—"

His throat hurts when he talks, but it’s just him and Bowser, here, and he doesn’t have the patience to dig out his phone.

“I’m not having you destroy yourself trying to save her— _she_ wouldn’t appreciate it either!”

“She can’t—” _appreciate anything right now,_ but Mario’s mouth refuses to form _those_ words. His leg bounces. He lets go of Bowser and grips at the legs of his overalls instead just to have something to do with his hands. Tugging anxiously at Bowser right now would probably be a bad thing! Considering!

“She’s going to be fine, Mario,” Bowser insists.

He presses his tongue to the roof of his mouth and lets out a long note of distress.

“She’s going to be fine,” Bowser repeats, over it. “You can take an hour to relax.”

He wishes it were that easy. He wishes he could believe that, but it’s like—it’s like he’s doing this for the first time, all over again, scared out of his mind and not having the security of knowing that something horrible won’t happen if he doesn’t move _right now_ —

“Mario, come on, you know I’m right,” Bowser interjects, and it’s grounding. Mario yanks his gaze away from the mostly-intact throne room wall to look at where his husband is sitting in his lap. Bowser’s expression is serious, concerned in the way he gets—which is mostly intimidation, bless him. “Trust me, I know how villains think. He won’t do anything serious until we get there! There’s no fun if there’s no show. Right? We have time.”

“I can’t—” Mario begins, but he doesn’t know what it is he can’t do.

“Can you at least take ten minutes to chill for me?” Bowser asks. “You look like a stiff breeze could knock you over! How are you supposed to save Peach if you aren’t on your A-game, huh?” Which is Bowser’s way of saying he’s worried.

Mario breathes, long and slow.

“Okay,” he says.

Realistically, he knows they’ll be sitting here longer than ten minutes, but somehow just the fact Bowser says he’s only expecting ten minutes makes it all that easier to unwind, release some of the tension from his shoulders, catch his breath. He really hasn’t stopped moving since—Peach’s castle. Was that this morning? Yesterday? It feels like it’s been an eternity, however long it’s been. All of a sudden, he feels exhausted.

He flops onto his back, letting his tired eyes close. The carpeted throne room is… not the worst place he’s napped.

“Uh, you sure?” Bowser asks, hopping so he’s more on Mario’s chest. “We could probably find a bed still intact ‘round here if you want to take a nap somewhere more comfortable. A bench, maybe? The grass outside?”

“Mmph,” Mario answers.

“Let me guess. Too tired to move?”

Mario nods and points in a _yeah, that one,_ kind of gesture.

“Geeze. You really do push yourself too hard, you know?”

Mario doesn’t laugh, but he grins, lazily.

“No, _no!_ Don’t look at me like that it’s—it’s _not cute_. Mario, I swear.”

Mario grins a little wider, lifting his hands to make a heart. Bowser groans in the way that means he’s not _lastingly_ annoyed.

“Love you too, now take a nap!”

Mario flashes a thumbs-up, then let his hands fall again. Bowser remains sitting on Mario’s chest. Which… is currently functionally useless, still, given that like this Bowser weighs approximately nothing right now, but the message gets across well enough. Mario will staying put, for now. He’s a light sleeper, but he’s never had much trouble _falling_ asleep—maybe because of how often he pulls stunts like this? Regardless, sleep comes pretty quickly…

(…Peach wearing a crooked grin, eyes glowing solid purple, when she laughs it is with the voice of a thousand-year-old demon who’s delighted to get her revenge—)

Mario jolts upright.

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Bowser says, rapidly. He falls into Mario’s lap. Faintly, Mario’s aware of him wiggling to reposition himself, but Mario lacks the brain power to help at the moment. He pulls his hat down over his eyes, trembling violently as he tries to _breathe._

The images from his nightmare paint themselves more starkly against his eyelids. That’s the problem with hiding from things that are in your head. You can’t.

“Mario, hey,” Bowser says. Mario hums back, distressed.

He tries not to think about Peach. He tries not to think about—

(—Luigi, eyes blank, chaos swarming around him Dimentio’s laugh echoing echoing echoing echoing—)

Mario yanks his hat down harder. The hum he’s still holding jumps up an octave in genuine distress. Why did he think about Luigi _why did he think about Luigi._

“Mario— _ughhh,_ ” Bower lets out the kind of groan that probably only someone who is used to being a giant turtle but is now a small square can. “Come on, I can’t do anything other than talk, you gotta work with me a little. What’s… You have a nightmare?”

Mario nods, shakily. Thinking back on it paints the images in his mind again; fuzzy with the dull edge that nightmares get upon recollection, mixed with memories which have probably only gotten worse each time he thinks about them. He gets the remembered sense of darkness like a physical thing weighing on his shoulders. Staring up craning his neck back to fully see the Shadow Queen—impossibly tall, towering over him, _Peach locked in her ribs as if her body itself was a cage._ He shudders.

It’s not, exactly, less painful than thinking about Luigi. Except it is. He does not think about why. He does not think about Luigi.

“Mario,” Bowser says, and he snaps back to the present, eyes flying open.

It’s still dark—oh. He lets the iron-tight grip he had on his hat go, pushing it out of his eyes.

“I know you don’t like talking about ‘em,” Bowser says, and he laughs a little, and Mario laughs a little, even if it doesn’t sound much like one; it’s not the first nightmare Mario has had by a longshot. It’s not the first he’s had since he and Bowser got married, either. “But do you want to… I don’t know, go see if the kitchen is still intact? We can bake something like we usually do—er, like Peach usually does, I guess, but… We can make do?”

The suggestion makes sense, it does, but the sensation it elicits in Mario is like fingernails scraping down a chalkboard. He shudders with full-body rejection, whining another high note of distress.

“Okay, okay, we don’t—sorry,” Bowser says. He pouts up at Mario, confused. “Has this got something to do with Peach?”

Let it be known that Bowser is not stupid. He really isn’t.

Mario sighs, long and deep, his cheeks puffing out as he exhales all the air in his lungs. “I don’t. Want to think about.”

That’s all he manages to get out. Bowser’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“About Peach?” he asks.

Mario grimaces. Makes a sound that should convey _yes and no_. “About what- what happened. To her.”

“Yeah, I know, that brat did something to her,” Bowser says. “I didn’t like it either.”

“It’s,” Mario says, but his voice dies there.

Bowser considers Mario thoughtfully. “Bad memories, huh?” he asks. Mario doesn’t say anything, so Bowser keeps talking. “I mean… I get it, I think? I know it’s been forever, but I was there when. Uh. You know.” He hops a bit, probably in absence of being able to gesture with his hands. “With Luigi.”

Mario swallows. Doesn’t think about Luigi.

“It’s not… the first time with Peach, either,” he whispers.

He stares at the wall.

Bowser is silent for a long while.

“I’m sorry, what,” Bowser says, finally.

“Shadow Queen,” Mario answers, still not looking at Bowser. “For a little while. That was—”

“Neither of you mentioned this!?”

Mario laughs. It’s not a happy laugh; it’s a stressed little chuckle of defeat. No, they haven’t talked about this. Not with Bowser. Not with each other. They sort of just… agreed not to. Peach kept her nightmares to herself, and Mario kept his.

Maybe Peach has talked about it with someone else? Mario hasn’t.

“Well,” Mario says, and then doesn’t say anything for a long while.

“Are you okay?” Bowser asks, finally.

Mario fidgets with his hands, running his thumbs over his fingers. He shrugs, finally. _I guess not,_ is what he means, but doesn’t say.

“We’re gonna save her,” Bowser says, with the kind of tone that suggests he’d be puffing out his chest if he had a body to do that with. “We’re—”

“I know,” Mario interjects, quiet.

It seems to steal the wind out of Bowser’s sails, but he presses on: “And- And she’ll be okay! We’ll make sure of it!”

“I know,” Mario says again. “I know it’s okay in the end, it always is.” It always, always is. “But no one- no one ever talks about how much it _hurts_ , getting to the end.”

“Uh,” Bowser says. “Mario…”

“It’s always so much- so much work, and even if you know it’s gonna be okay you still have to do scary things and—” He reaches up, slowly drags his hands up his face. He’s so exhausted. “Being scared hurts,” he whispers.

Bowser’s quiet for a moment. “I’m…” he tries, but trails off.

That’s fine. Mario’s got plenty of fire to spend, still.

“It’ll be okay in the end,” he says, “and fighting for that is worth it but this—” His voice gets caught in his throat, thinking about it, but he’s feeling too strongly for it to stop him. “But- taking Peach- doing- refolding her like that—it’s the one thing I don’t know how to deal with. It’s the one thing I- I can’t—” But he can, because if he doesn’t, that’ll be worse. “I didn’t- The one thing I never wanted to do again. If he’d just captured her—” He squeezes his own face, feeling tears burn in his eyes. “I could have handled that, I could have, but he had to- he had to _do that_ —”

“Mario,” Bowser says again, in the way that means he still isn’t sure what to say at all.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Mario insists, because he doesn’t need Bowser to say anything, he really doesn’t, he just needed to get it _out._ “I just—” But that’s as much as he can afford, at the moment.

Bowser hops around in Mario’s lap for a second, then slumps in a way that definitely means he’s sulking. “…literally biphobic that I can’t hug you right now,” he grumbles.

It makes Mario laugh.

It makes him laugh, bright, love bursting in his chest. He lifts Bowser in his hands and holds him to his chest, squeezing as tight as he dares, not wanting to hurt Bowser right now, considering Bowser’d probably be really easy to hurt like this. It’s not the best, as far as hugs go—extremely far from it, to be honest—but it’s something. It’s something.

“There you go,” Bowser says, muffled. Mario stops squeezing, but does keep holding his husband in his hands. “Better?”

Mario nods, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.

Bowser finds it in himself to stay quiet for a while; probably not without some great force of will on his part, but maybe determination that Mario rest is enough for Bowser to power through it. Either way, it’s long enough that Mario, master of impromptu catnaps, ends up dozing off sitting up.

Which, you know, is only bound to last so long before he startles himself awake by nearly falling over.

“You good?” Bowser asks.

Mario blinks sleep out of his eyes and looks down, cocking his eyebrows in a _what did you expect?_ manner.

“I just- I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have a nightmare! That’s all!” Bowser insists, flustered. Aw, sweet of him. “Stop making gooey eyes at me, Mario.” Mario does not. “Ugh. If you want to keep napping, maybe you should at least lie back down? Or, I don’t know, we could find you _an actual bed?_ ”

Mario thinks that if Bowser still had his body, he would have lifted Mario and carried him somewhere, which, thinking about it makes him kind of disappointed that’s not happening, even if he is enjoying the novelty of a pocket-sized husband. (Okay, Bowser _is_ bigger than pocket-sized.)

Anyway. Mario shrugs. He’ll stay put, for now, if only because staying here means they’ll get to keep their privacy, probably. Kamek and Junior _did_ buzz off very quickly for a reason, after all.

“I can’t believe you didn’t—neither you _nor_ Peach—Ugh,” Bowser says, his silence finally giving way to voice the frustration he was probably building while Mario napped. “I knew the both of you had nightmares, I _knew,_ but I didn’t. Ugh. I wish you’d said something. But I guess… …the both of you have been dealing with this longer than we’ve been married, huh?”

“Yeah,” Mario admits softly. And, you know, he and Peach don’t even talk about it to each other. But Bowser doesn’t need to know that, not right now. Mario swallows. More importantly: “It’s probably going to be… rough… for Peach… after we rescue her.”

He can’t even imagine what she’s going through right now. He probably shouldn’t try to.

“So what you’re saying is, I need to stock up on baking supplies,” Bowser says.

Mario chuckles.

They sit in silence for a while longer. Mario’s not sure how many minutes—five? Ten? Fifteen?—just that he doesn’t nap, instead kind of listlessly zoning out. If he bothered to lie down, he’d probably be out like a light, but weirdly enough he’s too exhausted for that. Either way. Some time passes. And then, Bowser must see that Mario is still awake, because, abruptly:

“I’m sorry about before,” Bower says. “All those times. For… for scaring you, I mean. I’m sure I did it a lot. We, you know, spent so long fighting each other. And I know I’m…” He trails off before he finishes that sentence, which Mario is grateful for.

“No, it’s- it’s not-” Mario begins, but that’s not right. “It’s okay,” he says.

“It’s probably not?”

“You haven’t scared me like _this_ since… I don’t know, the first time?” First few times, probably.

That seems to take Bowser by surprise. “Y… yeah?”

“Every time you kidnapped Peach, I was at least sure you were being nice to her,” Mario says. He didn’t the first few times, no, but it became clear pretty quick.

“I guess that’s true,” Bowser says, thoughtfully. Again, there’s something here that makes Mario sure Bowser would puff out his chest with pride if he could. “I know how to treat a Princess right! And I wouldn’t even think of hurting her—seriously, what kind of guy does that? The brat who has her right now is in for some _real_ payback once I get my hands on him. …and get my hands back.”

Mario laughs again, though he probably shouldn’t, since it’s not _that_ funny. He’s just extremely fond.

Bowser huffs—laughing but trying not to, likely holding onto what scraps he can of his pride.

“Feeling better?” Bowser asks.

“Mmhmm.”

Mario closes his eyes, holding Bowser to his chest. He wishes Bowser had a little more substance than he currently does so he’d be better to hug, but, oh well.

“Hey, Mario, don’t get too comfy yet. Can you do me a favor first?”

Mario opens his eyes. “Mm?”

“There’s literally a window over there, can we go sit by it? If you’re gonna keep napping I wanna people watch.”

Mario turns to the window in question—there are several, to be honest—and shrugs. He doesn’t see why not. “Sure,” he says, and gets up and moves. The window’s wide enough for him to sit in, so he does, back against the frame, hat pulled down over his eyes to block the light, as Bowser settles down in his lap.

It’s nice. Between the floating island and the height of the castle, they’re well above the clouds. The sky is blue. The breeze is good. There’s chatter of people down below.

Mario drops off to sleep in no time.


End file.
